Vs. Hippowdon
Vs. Hippowdon is the twentieth episode of the fifth season of Pokémon Tales: Dawn. It aired 5/1/2018. Story Crystal is pacing in the lobby of the Sunyshore City Pokémon Center, waiting for the others to wake up. She looks at her Pokétch to check the time, it being a little after 8 am. Crystal: Oh, where is everyone?! We need to get moving! Conway and Dawn come out into the lobby, Dawn yawning and covering her mouth as she does. Dawn: (Drowsily) Morning. Crystal: Morning? Morning?! This is the day of my gym battle! If I don’t defeat him today, then I may not make it into the Lily of the Valley Conference! How can you be so relaxed?! Conway: Crystal, you need to calm yourself. Going into a battle as anxious as you are will not help your chances. Crystal: (Sighs) Right, right. I just need to breathe. (She takes a deep breathe, then exhales.) Okay! I’m good! I think. Where’s Ian? Conway: He wasn’t in the room when I woke up. I assume he had gone out to meditate. Crystal: Oh, I do wish he’d make it back soon! I want him to watch my gym battle, to see how much stronger I’ve gotten. Conway: (Looks concerned) That, may be a problem. Crystal: Huh? Why? The doors to the Pokémon Center slide open, Ian and Piplup walking back in. Crystal looks excited yet slightly irritated. Crystal: You’re finally back! Now we can head to the Sunyshore gym! Ian: (Kindly) I think I’ll pass. Crystal: (Devastated) What?! Ian goes over to Nurse Joy, retrieving his Pokémon from her. Ian then goes to walk past, Crystal stopping him. Crystal: What do you mean, “you’ll pass?!” Ian: I was going to spend the day training. I’ll be a distraction to you there. You need to focus on your upcoming gym battle. Crystal starts stammering, unable to find the words she’s looking for. Ian puts his hand on Crystal’s shoulder, her letting out a soft gasp. Ian: (Smiles) You’ll be fine. Ian heads out the doors, which close behind him. Crystal looks disappointed as she stares at the doors. Dawn: That was rather harsh, wasn’t it? Conway: Perhaps to us. But in Ian’s mind, what he’s doing makes perfect sense. End Scene Ian and Piplup are at an outpost of buildings with windmills on it, with Staraptor and Vespiquen flying past a windmill and causing it to turn. Ian: Faster Staraptor! Increase the force of your tailwind by speeding through! Staraptor flies forward without using an attack, forcing himself to go faster. He flies past a windmill, causing it to turn from the tailwind that lasts a few moments. Ian: Vespiquen! Focus all your power in your Gust! Vespiquen’s wings glow blue as she flaps her wings, releasing a Gust attack that continuously pushes the windmill. Staraptor and Vespiquen circle back down, tired. Ian: Yeah. It has been a while. We can take a break. Ian takes a seat, pulling out his Poffin case and giving Piplup, Staraptor and Vespiquen a Poffin to eat. Ian takes out a rice ball from his bag, taking a bite out of it. Ian: I feel bad for missing Crystal’s gym battle. But there’s not much we can do about that. Voice: And why is that? Ian casually looks over to see an older woman that’s shorter with him and with grey hair standing by a windmill nearby. She’s wearing a black dress with a big white coat over it and a brown scarf. Ian turns away, taking another bite. Ian: She’s competing in the Lily of the Valley Conference, same as me. If I went to watch, then I’d see her techniques. Woman: Wouldn’t that be beneficial to you? You’d get to figure out her battle strategies. Her strengths, weaknesses, flaws, patterns. Ian: We’ve traveled together for quite some time now. I’m familiar with most of them. Woman: So it isn’t about learning how to defeat her, it’s about not seeing how much she’s changed since you last saw her. Ian: She’s been preparing for our battle for a while now. I want to be genuinely surprised about her current level. Woman: But does she see it that way? As far as you know, she thinks that you’ve lost interest in her with that kind of attitude. Ian: I guess. Not much I can do there. Woman: You could tell her how you feel and what you expect. Ian: (Shrugs shoulders) I’m not that good with that. Woman: So you’re upset that you’re not watching her, but you can’t tell her why you aren’t there. You expect her to observe you well enough to know. Ian: She’ll figure it out eventually. Woman: Easier if you tell her. I swear, young men are always so judgmental. Ian looks at the woman again. Ian: How about a battle? I judge that you’re a pretty strong trainer with how wisely you’re talking. Woman: Flattery? Wasn’t expecting that from you. Very well. My name is Bertha. Ian: Ian. Ian gets up, as Bertha moves to create enough space for a field between them. Bertha: I think a one-on-one battle will suffice. I choose Hippowdon. Bertha opens a Pokéball, choosing a female Hippowdon. She releases a Sand Stream from the holes on her back, causing a sandstorm to rage. Hippowdon: Hippow! (Ian scans it.) Pokédex: Hippowdon, the Heavyweight Pokémon and the evolved form of Hippopotas. It blasts internally stored sand from ports on its body to create a towering twister for attack. Ian: A Ground type. Hm. Piplup: (Eager) Piplup! Ian: (Chuckles) Not this time, Piplup. Piplup: (Dramatically falling) Lup! Ian: Go, Lucario! Ian throws his Pokéball, choosing Lucario. Lucario: Hurah! Bertha: Lucario, huh? That’s a poor choice in type matchup. Ian: Negates the effectiveness of your Sand Stream ability. Bertha: But not much else. Hippowdon, Dig. Hippowdon Digs into the ground, Lucario looking around for it. Ian: Relax. Sense it then use Circle Throw. Lucario nods and closes her eyes, appendages rising. Hippowdon breaks out of the ground, Lucario leaning back to dodge and grabbing Hippowdon by the head. Lucario continues to roll and slams Hippowdon into the ground, her pushing off to stand up. Bertha lets off a small smile. Bertha: Ah. You’re hoping your mastery of aura will allow you to win. Hippowdon, Rock Slide. Ian: Push through with Metal Claw! Hippowdon gets up and roars, Lucario leaping forward towards Bertha. Hippowdon glows white and forms several boulders circling around her. Lucario’s hand spikes glows like iron and form energy claws around her paws. Hippowdon fires Rock Slide, as Lucario breaks through them with Metal Claw. Hippowdon appears in front of Lucario in the blink of an eye, with large Fire Fangs outlining her jaw. Bertha: Fire Fang! Hippowdon bites down with Fire Fang, Lucario using her Metal Claw to try and hold her mouth open. Lucario strains but Hippowdon bites through, striking Lucario with Fire Fang. Lucario skids back from the impact, Hippowdon out of sight after Digging. Lucario searches for Hippowdon, as she turns around just in time for Hippowdon to break out and ram her with Dig. Lucario tumbles back, looking disgruntled. Bertha: Let’s use Stockpile. Hippowdon glows with a purple aura, as the light fades away. Ian: A rise in Defense and Special Defense. And with all her moves revealed, she doesn’t use Spit Up. That means the rise is indefinite. Bertha: Good thing you know your stuff, Ian. Now you realize that we can take as much damage as you can give! Hippowdon, Fire Fang! Ian: Aura Sphere! Hippowdon charges at Lucario with Fire Fang. Lucario forms a blue Aura Sphere between her paws and fires it. Hippowdon bites into the Aura Sphere with Fire Fang, causing an explosion. Lucario charges through the smoke, striking Hippowdon with Metal Claw. Hippowdon responds by opening her mouth and biting into her with Fire Fang. Lucario skids back, flinching. Bertha: Now use Dig! Hippowdon Digs into the ground, as Lucario stand up, rage building. Ian: Lucario, calm down. Don’t let this frustration take control of your aura. Channel the anger and aura instead into an attack. Lucario: Hurah! Lucario glows white and then violet, as she Digs into the ground. Hippowdon breaks out of the ground, looking around confused for Lucario. Hippowdon: Hippo? Bertha: (Gasps) That move! Ian: (In realization) Is Me First. What a move! Now get it! Bertha: Hippowdon! Sense the vibrations of the earth, then strike it when it comes out with Fire Fang! Hippowdon takes a defensive stance, spreading her legs out to get a better sense of the area. The ground shifts, as Hippowdon turns towards her right side with Fire Fang. Lucario breaks out and punches Hippowdon, sending her flying into the air without her using Fire Fang. Ian: Now Aura Sphere! Bertha: Rock Slide! Lucario forms and fires Aura Sphere, striking Hippowdon. As Hippowdon falls she fires Rock Slide, which falls at Lucario. Lucario forms Metal Claw to break through them, but takes more damage from the falling boulders than before. Hippowdon stomps down onto the field, lifting Lucario up off the ground for a split second. Bertha: Fire Fang! Ian: (Excited) Me First! Hippowdon charges with Fire Fang, as Lucario glows with a violet aura. Lucario opens her mouth, the energy of Fire Fang forming around her head. The two attacks collide, them both piercing through and biting into the other. A fiery explosion takes place, covering the two in smoke. When the smoke fades, both Lucario and Hippowdon are down. Bertha: (Sighs) We lost to him, eh? Ian runs out, helping Lucario up. Ian: That was an excellent battle, Lucario. You take a nice long rest. Lucario nods in agreement, as Ian returns her. Bertha returns Hippowdon, as Ian looks to her with respect. Ian: Thank you, Bertha. It was an honor to battle a member of the Elite Four. Bertha: Bah! I don’t like being referred to as that. You are a lot humbler than I was led to believe. I thought you’d be more hotheaded from Flint’s description of you. Ian: So you heard from Flint. Bertha: Only unofficially. No one outside the Elite Four and Cynthia knows about that challenge. But you seem to be quite a talking point. Especially if you should be allowed to compete or not. Ian: That’s why I’ve been staying under the radar. To not incite the attention of those who want me gone. Bertha: Good idea. Too bad you can’t help yourself when it comes to challenging trainers like me. Figure out how to talk to that girl of yours, will ya? Ian: Heh. I’ll do my best. Ian makes it back to the Sunyshore City Pokémon Center that night, as Crystal is extremely enthusiastic. She runs over and hugs him. Crystal: I got it Ian! I got the Beacon Badge! Ian: Nice! I knew you could do it! Crystal: (Breaks away) Listen, I wanted to apologize for earlier. I have to admit, you caught me off guard when you said you weren’t going to watch me. Ian: And I probably should’ve. But, I didn’t want to see how far you’ve come. Not yet. I’m saving that for our battle. Crystal looks ecstatic by that answer, as Conway looks contempt. Conway: Yeah, that’s about what I figured. Main Events * Ian battles Bertha of the Elite Four, the battle ending in a draw. * Ian's Lucario learns the move Me First. * Crystal earns the Beacon Badge off screen. This allows her to qualify for the Sinnoh League. Characters * Ian * Bertha * Crystal * Conway * Dawn Berlitz * Nurse Joy Pokémon * Piplup (Ian's) * Staraptor (Ian's) * Vespiquen (Ian's) * Lucario (Ian's) * Hippowdon (Bertha's) Trivia * This episode marks the first time that all the Elite Four members of a region have been battled by a main character, including the champion. Crystal battled Lucian, Paul battled Cynthia while Ian battled Aaron, Flint and Bertha. ** Ian has a victory or a draw against each Elite Four member he battles. * The windmill town and Bertha's personality were taken from the anime episode An Elite Coverup! * Ian reveals why he didn't want to watch Crystal's gym battle, because he wants to be surprised by how far she's come. * Ian has brought Staraptor and Vespiquen back into his party after their long absence following Ian catching Rotom. * Bertha's Hippowdon is Female, like it is in the games. Category:Episodes Category:Pokémon Tales Category:Pokémon Tales: Dawn Category:Pokémon Tales: Elite Four Challenge